The Facts

• One in four women will experience some form of domestic abuse in a close, personal relationship during their lives
• On average, a woman will be assaulted by a man she knows 35 times before reporting it to the police
• In the UK, one woman is killed by her partner or ex-partner every three days as a result of domestic violence

Although chronically under reported, research estimates that domestic violence:

• Accounts for 16% of all violent crime (source: Crime in England and Wales 2004/2005 report)
• Has more repeat victims than any other crime
• Costs in excess of £23bn a year
• Victims are 15 times more likely to abuse alcohol, 9 times more likely to abuse drugs and 5 times more likely to attempt suicide.